Two Pieces
by lady lutka
Summary: A year after the horror of Tartaros finds the guild disbanded and Lucy Heartfilia lost on her path, alone and without her partners. As she rediscovers herself and attempts to heal, unseen forces are pulling and shadowing her in a chilling cloud of dark and death. Can she save her newly reformed guild, or will she be forced to stand by and watch her world be torn apart? —NaLu&Gajevy
1. Farewell

_There is a sacredness in tears… They are the messengers of the overwhelming grief, of deep constitution and of unspeakable love._

 **—Washington Irving**

* * *

 _ **Chapter One:**_

 _Farewell_

* * *

The letter he left crushed her spirit more than the past week had.

Watching her home be destroyed by a formidable enemy, crawling from under the guild's rubble, fighting _on her own_ at the feet of her barely-breathing comrades, sacrificing Aquarius for her future and the safety of her guild… none of it could compare to the feeling in her chest when she opened that piece of parchment to reveal the hurtful words contained within.

 _Lucy,_

 _My dad made me realise something important. I need to live for today, and stand up for tomorrow. What happened with Tartaros made me see that I ain't as strong as I need to be. I couldn't protect Igneel from Acnologia and I couldn't protect my nakama._

 _Happy and I will go on a journey while training and we'll be back in a year or so. So take care of everybody, alright!_

 _See ya, Lucy!_

 _Natsu & Happy_

The tears wouldn't stop flowing, no matter how hard she tried to push them back down. She hadn't realised just how dependant on him she was until he was gone—who would she go to when she needed to forget her past if not for a few moments? Whose arms would she fall into when she needed comfort? How would she keep the dark loneliness of her past at bay? He wasn't the only one that lost a father; they had all lost something to Tartaros. Each and every guild member lost their place in the guild, Gray had lost his own father for the second time as well, Wendy lost her innocence and a mother, Erza lost another layer of the armour wrapped around her volatile resilience, and Gajeel lost Metalicana.

He wasn't the only one.

What happened to being a team? What happened to that little promise of theirs? How dare he leave her alone like that? Her tears turned to wails, the wails to sobs, but it was all in vain. Natsu wasn't there anymore to grab her hand and pick her up off the dusty floor. It was just her, a broken key, an empty and cold apartment and a stupid letter. _He wasn't the only one!_ Had he forgotten already, that it was more fun when they were together? How could he run away like that? Did her words from back then truly mean nothing to him?

Lucy allowed herself a few hours of tears before forcing herself to stand up. She had to be strong—if not for herself then her nakama. They all needed each other more than ever to stand up and smile again. Natsu's absence, however, would be a very large hole to fill—and Lucy wasn't entirely sure she could stand in his place with the same confidence she had once had.

She could only hope.

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

The disbandment of Fairy Tail came as a shock to everyone.

Standing upon the ruined remnants of their guild, picking up the debris, they had been prepared to start again. Rebuild, recover, everything was going to be okay. Tartaros was over and the demons were gone. Admittedly, so was Natsu but Lucy had a sinking feeling his departure was for the best. He wouldn't have wanted to see this—the despair in her nakama, Makarov's steely eyes, their tattered guild banner.

Makarov's mind was set. There was no swaying him.

So, they left. Against all their instincts and the screaming voices demanding that they fight for their home, they picked up their belongings and left. Lucy was frozen still in place. Surely her nakama weren't just going to leave? What ever happened to 'never give up'? 'Nakama forever'?

The Fairy Hills girls were the first to leave. Without the funds from the guild, their homes were swiftly taken from them by the mayor of Magnolia. 'You know I don't want to do this,' he had said, 'but, maybe this is for the best. Wizards can travel anywhere they wish to but non-magic folk simply cannot. This way, you wizards can experience the world from outside a guild and the townsfolk can use your homes until theirs are rebuilt'.

They couldn't argue with that. After all, Fairy Tail weren't the only ones swept away by the crushing strength of Tartaros. Half the town was destroyed—Kardia Cathedral, most of their own homes, half the civilians' homes, the local businesses and, worst of all, their guild. Her nakama told her it could have been worse if not for her sacrifice. Without her resolve to save her friends, she never would have opened the gate to the Spirit King. Her sacrifice was the reason they could stand up again and _fight_.

How much was her sacrilege really worth though? Fairy Tail, the first place she had ever really belonged, was gone. Her friends were leaving on their own journeys of self-discovery and taking their own paths. Was Aquarius' key really worth this outcome? Probably, maybe, no, yes… Lucy wasn't sure of anything anymore.

In honour of Natsu's last request of her, she stayed in the ruined town for a few months. The people of Magnolia appreciated her efforts more than she ever believed they could—Lucy gave them strength, the will to keep moving when all the odds were stacked against them. Three months into the rebuilding of Magnolia, she was forced to leave. Lucy was out of money, there were no jobs and her savings had been crippled. With the thought of coming back one day held deep within her heart, she left like all the others before her.

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

Crocus hadn't been what she expected it to be. Busy, bright, it was the complete opposite of Magnolia's calm and quiet bustle. She found a job working side-by-side with some of the best reporters in the country for a magazine focused on the wizarding world. _The Weekly Sorcerer_ gave Lucy her purpose back, the opportunity to grow and become more than just a Fairy Tail wizard. She was working again, she lived in a beautiful home; Lucy should have been happy. After all, she was a lot better-off than she had ever been previously.

The guilt was what kept her feet dragging in the dust. Natsu left the day before the guild disbanded—Lucy could only assume that he didn't know. What if he returned to Magnolia, only to walk in to her empty and bare apartment? What would he think? Would the fear of abandonment crush him when he walked upon the dusty rubble of what used to be their home, the home they had not rebuilt for the first time since the founding of Fairy Tail? What if he never found her again?

In those moments, she would bitterly remind herself that it was _Natsu's_ decision to leave—he hadn't bothered to consult any of them before leaving on a journey full of adventure and self-discovery. If anything, the burden of the guilt she beared should be his responsibility to carry. All he left was a short handwritten letter addressed to her on her coffee table and a promise to return in a year.

He also left her a request—to look after everyone in his absence. Working for Fiore's highest grossing wizarding world magazine helped her fulfil that selfish request of his. Through her connections with reporters all over the country, she managed to locate over half her guildmates and keep tabs on them. Levy, Gajeel and Lily were working for the Magic Council as officers. Gray and Juvia were living together humbly in a small town away from the worries of the outside world.

Erza took it upon herself to follow in Jellal's footsteps and wreak havoc upon the dark guild network. Wendy and Charle joined Lamia Scale and were taking the world by storm. Mirajane and Lisanna began to serve at a popular restaurant. Bisca and Alzack were happily raising their little family. Reedus was finally getting the recognition he deserved as a fine artist. Macao and Romeo taught fire magic to young mages only just learning how to stand on their own two feet in the world. Her nakama were all safe and happy.

They had moved on. Whether that was because they understood the true intentions behind Makarov's sudden decision to disband Fairy Tail, or because they comprehended the world outside the guild far better than she ever had, Lucy wouldn't know. She was ashamed for not reaching out to them—excuses such as 'would they still remember me?' and 'they've gone their own way' stopped her hand whenever she began to write a letter to any of her old friends. Instead she drowned herself in her work as a reporter and vigorous training with her spirits in order to expand her own horizons magically.

Lucy convinced herself to be happy, to smile so that the watchful eyes of the tabloids would see that she was still the same old Lucy. The same old Lucy who modelled on the side to being a full time Celestial Spirit wizard; the same old Lucy who was once part of the strongest team in the magical community. She went to work every day and scoured the continent for any rumours that could possibly help her pinpoint the whereabouts of her friends.

Nothing would ever turn up regarding Natsu and Happy, and she had to remind herself each and every day that the idiots were too stubborn to die. They were out there somewhere, looking up at the same sky and counting the same stars as her. However, nothing would ever ease the ache of his absence. He was still gone, and the fact tore holes in her heart every night when she crawled into an empty bed. In the morning, she would be 'just Lucy' again, not the Lucy who stared longingly at the night sky just beyond her reach.

This particular day had been no different. She woke up, dressed herself, packed her notebook and a pen and walked out the door like any other day. The Grand Magic Games were on again, which marked one year since she had realised the feelings she harboured towards her best friend. Clinging to his back like a desperate child, her tears seeping into the soiled material of his scarf, she became blindingly aware of just how much she needed him in her life. He chased away the ghosts of her past with a manic grin and a fist alight in flames, and she was immensely in his debt.

But he was gone now, Jason's careless words only cementing that fact: "You say Fairy Tail doesn't exist anymore, but that mark on your hand tells a different story."

Lucy closed up under his keen gaze. Jason was far more perceptive than she had ever fathomed before becoming closely acquainted with him. He, too, missed Fairy Tail; the magical world didn't have that same 'boom' without them. Jason believed the Games didn't have that same appeal without the presence of Lamia Scale, Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel or Blue Pegasus—and Lucy agreed wholeheartedly.

None of the guilds that fought beside Fairy Tail during the Eclipse Gate saga had come to compete in this year's Grand Magic Games. She often ventured a thought that it was because the disbandment of Fairy Tail came as a shock to everyone in the magic community. Though the previous members all still bore the mark of the guild that once was, nothing could quite take away the fact that Fairy Tail was gone forever.

So, when a cloaked man sauntered into the arena after Skull Millione were declared victors, Lucy couldn't help but to hope. How long had she yearned for the day _he_ would come back? In her dreams, she would often see his smiling face looming over her as a warm arm wrapped around her shoulders. Was she a hypocrite for longing after him? Hadn't she, on more occasions than she'd like to admit, thrown both him and Happy outside her apartment when all they had wanted was her companionship?

The magic power levels of the stranger quickly squashed any dreams of hers and brought her mind back to the present. Friend or foe, this stranger was a threat to all the people of the arena. Most concerning was the fact that non-magic users outnumbered the wizards by hundreds. Years of reflex reactions caught up to Lucy and she briefly wondered the thought that, had it not been for all her time in the guild infamous for finding themselves in the middle of hostile situations, she would not have begun to instinctively evacuate the stands of people around her.

She and Jason tried to direct the frantic crowds as best they could but their attempts were brought to a surging halt when the entire arena lit up in fire. Her heart clogged in her throat, but she swallowed past the lump to gather all mages that could fight. An intruder was never good news.

When burning fire erupted from the palms of the cloaked man, Lucy's busy and calculating mind froze. She could almost taste the flames on the tip of her tongue, and smell the melancholy scent. _Dragon fire_. How many times had this very fire burned down the guild, her kitchen? How many outfits had these flames ruined? How many times had they lit her way in dark rooms and deserted forests? She could count on every part of her body all the times those gentle flames had warmed her on chilly nights in the middle of nowhere.

Only one thought surfaced in the mess of her mind: it was Natsu.

He was finally here, and so was Happy and they were laughing at the awe-struck expression on her face as her clothes practically melted away from her skin. Natsu's hair had grown out and his flames had increased in heat and intensity. The old team was finally back together after a solid year of being apart.

Or, so she had hoped.

After all, Natsu's face had never quite been so dream-like and the X792 Games had ended three months ago.

Lucy awoke with a startled gasp, hands flying to her thundering chest. It was all a dream, a stupid, innocent reflection of her troubles. She laughed without humour, shaking hands grasping at the glass of water on her night stand. The cool liquid wasn't able to quite drown the lump in her throat, nor was it able to warm her quivering insides.

"Damn it all," she hissed, raking a hand through her long hair. Lucy forced herself to stand and walk to the bathroom, where she splashed cool water on her face from the running faucet.

She couldn't recognise the girl in the mirror. There was nothing of the old Lucy in her expression—her lips had never once twisted in to a sad frown, and her eyes hadn't been this dull since she found out her father died. This Lucy was hardly _Lucy_ at all, and she hated it. She hated feeling suspended in place with no real purpose. What was she really doing with her life? All she did was chase ghosts and pursue rumours on the breeze with grasping hands. She wasn't _living,_ she was damn well _existing_.

How pathetic? Why was she letting herself be chained down by a boy whose whereabouts were completely unknown? He asked her to watch after everyone and she _did_ , what else did he want? Did he just expect her to throw her own life away for his sake?

No.

She was done.

Lucy gripped the stone sink in her trembling hands, expression steely. She was going to _live_ , dammit. She was going to travel and explore the continent high and low, she was going to train until her mind snapped but most important of all, _she was going to be happy._

With that thought in mind, Lucy crawled back into her bed with the first true smile on her face in over a year.

* * *

Welcome to **_Two Pieces Take 2!_**

 ** _For returning readers_** the content from the previous version WILL BE USED, but quite a lot will be cut and edited to suit this new version of TP. I had planned to delete TP entirely and post it under a fresh slate but decided against it due to the fact that there a quite a lot of you following this story and not my account, so you wouldn't have been aware of the new TP. Oh, and _**welcome back!**_

 ** _For new readers_** hello and welcome!


	2. Train Station Platforms

_My blood is alive with many voices telling me I am made of longing._

 ** _—_ Rainer Maria Rilke**

* * *

 _ **Chapter Two:**_

 _Train Station Platforms_

* * *

There was never a dull moment in the Crocus train station.

Frustrated mothers ushered their excited children off the train carriages, guild wizards sought the city map situated on the wall of the station, tourists marvelled at the sights and the locals yelled the daily specials. Plue kept her company as she bought her ticket and waited for her time to board. She didn't have a destination in mind as of yet—she wanted to explore the mountains, but she also wanted to watch the sun set over the sea on a ship bound for Seven. Lucy decided to follow the train until its last stop and go where her roaming feet took her.

Loke visited her briefly to offer his company, but Lucy rolled her eyes and teasingly told him that his company wasn't worth another ticket. He played along and feigned hurt which lead to the two bursting in to laughter moments later. They had both missed the carefree banter between friends seeing as Lucy hardly ever smiled in the past year and a half. Her spirits welcomed the change with open arms, offering all the help they could. Lucy politely turned them down in favour of requesting they train her as hard as they could once she was off the train and situated in a secluded spot.

At ten o'clock, a mere half hour later, Lucy boarded the train and took the first step towards her new life. Thankfully, she was one of the few people on the train and was able to obtain a private carriage all to herself. The city whizzed by in blurs of colours and lights as the train took her towards the east of Fiore, far away from places she had ever been before. For the first time in a long while, Lucy pulled her small journal form her carry-on bag and simply wrote. She wrote of her fears—spiders, loneliness, death. She also wrote of her beliefs—the pathways of the stars, that the sun rose every morning and set every night, and that the One Magic was simply _love_.

She documented the sights she saw from the train window, she wrote of how the lush, green forests slowly turned to expansive deserts that then suddenly became alive under the moonlight. The sand dunes rippled with the scorching northern winds, casting patterns and shapes in the ground. The moon illuminated everything for her wonder-filled eyes to behold.

The train stopped at a small outpost halfway to the nearest city. The staff directed her to the town called _Kahlia_ , a gypsy trade town right on the outskirts of Fiore. Lucy followed the worn path through the desert, eyes focused on the city lights just beyond the next dune. Excitement rippled through her in uncontrollable waves; the closest she had ever been to a gypsy was Cana, and even then the woman was only half gypsy and more like her nomadic father than her Eastern mother. Lucy sprinted the last few metres, breath leaving her lungs in a gasp when she finally broke from the path and through the city gates.

There were lights and people everywhere. Gorgeous, sun-kissed women in swirling skirts and jingling beads sauntered past Lucy's stunned form as she took in the colourful lights suspended in the air. Children laughed and danced to the music being played from the men on the streets, skipping happily to the rich and mysterious notes from the small string trio performing in the main square. The buildings were spaced rather close together, the terraces almost connecting to the neighbouring building. Doors to pubs and inns were left wide open, inviting weary travellers in with the intoxicating scents of exotic foods.

"Welcome!" a woman no older than Lucy said with a wide smile. Her long, dark hair was swept into a ponytail atop her head, wavy locks tumbling forth to frame her warm and inviting face. Her skin was the colour of golden caramel poured over warm butter, her body shapely and lean. The long fabrics of her skirt wound around her long legs, revealing the glossy skin and bare feet. Golden coins dangled from her clothes and jingled with each step the girl took.

Lucy, having noticed she was staring rather rudely, blushed profusely and smiled. "Thank you for having me."

"It's a pleasure! My name is Soraya. You are…?"

"Lucy," she finished, offering her hand to shake.

Soraya grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her in to a soft embrace. "Embracing is the common way of greeting another woman in Kahlia," Soraya explained with a warm laugh.

Lucy returned the hug, shocked at the contact. Gods, when was the last time she had been _hugged_? Much too long, she decided. Soraya pulled away from the embrace after a few seconds, holding Lucy at arm's length. She scrutinised the girl before smiling widely. "With that magic, you'll fit right in. Now, follow me! It's time to get you in something a little more comfortable."

Shocked with the kindness of this stranger, Lucy could only watch Soraya's retreating back with a dumbstruck expression. She shook her head and smiled, marvelling at the cobblestone streets and old buildings as she followed Soraya through the town. After a few minutes of jogging, Soraya stopped in front of a small house. The exterior was all colourful tiles and rounded archways and windows, the interior reflecting the colours of the tiles outside. The walls were painted a vibrant blue, exotically patterned carpets softening the rough stone floor.

"Do you live here?" Lucy asked, picking up a stray deck of tarot cards and shuffling through them absentmindedly. The cards and carefree locals brought memories of Cana, which were both welcome and relieving. She missed the drunken fortune-teller more than she cared to admit, but those thoughts were quelled when Soraya threw a heap of bundled clothes at Lucy.

"Yes," she said with a smile, "my family runs one of the inns in the square so we are rarely home. Now, let me help you with those clothes. They can be a bit confusing to put on the first time."

Soraya helped Lucy step into the long skirt, the silk stained a deep purple. The gold coins were for luck, according to her newly acquired gypsy friend. The coins jingled as Lucy moved about the room, admiring her reflection in the mirror. The top that went with the dress covered her breasts and was highly reminiscent of something Cana would wear. The bikini-like top tied up around her neck and back, the cups decorated in rows of gold coins that moved about freely on their beaded strings.

The two of them headed back to the main square where the night festivities had blown in to full swing. Golden mead and robust wine poured from the scattered kegs like rain, and Lucy indulged herself in a sip of the cinnamon-honey mead. Unlike beer, the mead wasn't harsh and went down smoothly, the hints of honey and cinnamon sweet enough to satisfy Lucy's ravaging sweet tooth. Soraya dragged her to the string trio who were still playing, gypsy women and men dancing happily with smiles lighting up their sun-kissed features.

"Is it common for the people here to be so nice?" Lucy wondered aloud.

Soraya laughed. "Isn't this how life is _supposed_ to be? Surrounded by love and kindness?"

Lucy let those words stir in her mind as she twirled around with one of the local children. The child stared up at Lucy with big, wide eyes full of wonder and excitement. "Star lady!" the little girl cried out, wrapping her arms around Lucy's stomach.

"Gypsies can pick up on magic imprints," Soraya explained at Lucy's struck expression.

"What does my imprint look like?" she inquired.

The little girl replied before Soraya could: "Like the night sky!"

Lucy raised one questioning eyebrow, and Soraya laughed and nodded her head. "She speaks the truth."

"Show me your magic!" the girl cried, small hands grasping at the folds of Lucy's skirt. Her big, hazel eyes bore in to Lucy's own, and she couldn't resist the child's innocence.

She pulled her keys from within the folds of her borrowed skirt, mumbling a quick explanation to the impatient child. Deciding upon Loke, she whispered his name and stroked his key softly. Immediately, his golden key began to glow brightly and drew the attention of the gypsies in the square. They crowded around the small group of girls, amazed gasps accompanying the soft jingle of their golden coins. Loke materialised rather dramatically bathed in golden light, and Lucy rolled her eyes fondly as he lapped up the attention. He handed red roses out to the children and women and lit his hands with his Regulus to show off further.

"Loke," Soraya smiled, "it's nice knowing that you found such a kind master. You had me worried there."

Lucy gestured between the two, seemingly, old friends. "You know each other?"

"Quite well," Loke drawled, eyes taking in Soraya's exotic form greedily behind his glasses. Lucy knew then exactly how _close_ the two were in the past. "You're still a beautiful goddess," he purred and winked playfully, taking Soraya's hand and pressing a kiss on her henna-stained skin.

"You're still as cocky as ever," the gypsy girl laughed, pulling Loke into a soft hug. "Send a letter next time you decide to just disappear like that."

Lucy's heart clogged at the words, knowing exactly how much the hidden pain behind Soraya's words stung. To be left alone, _abandoned_ even, by the man who gave to you a whole new world and life, hurt more than any other pain imaginable.

"Lucy," Loke interrupted, the worry behind his smile pulling Lucy out of her slump effectively. "You ready to put on a show?"

Knowing where his mind was travelling, she smiled and grasped his offered hand. The gypsies pressed in on the master-spirit team, gazes moving to the sky above them at Lucy's gesture.

"You light up my world, baby," Loke smirked as their clenched hands began to glow. Lucy laughed and turned her gaze to the sky.

Their combined magic pulled the stars out of hiding—they twinkled with the passion of a thousand suns and rearranged into the constellations of the Zodiac. The only one missing was Aquarius, Lucy's heart tugging at the absent pattern of stars. She broke down the first time her and Loke combined their powers to reveal the hidden beauty of the sky but he had been there to hold her hand and wipe away her tears. However, it was with a smile and heart full of ache that she pondered the thought that the comfort Loke offered could _never_ replace Natsu's warm hands putting her shattered form together again.

A hush fell upon the small trade village as Lucy and Loke began to glow vibrantly. Much like when she casted _Uranometria_ , the sky above them transformed into a slice of the universe. Planets and faraway galaxies emerged from behind the bright stars, and a warm wind blew Lucy's blonde hair away from her face. The silk of her long skirt reflected the glow of her golden skin, which pulsed with the beats of fourteen hearts. Loke's grip on her hand tightened as the 88 constellations bathed them in a pure light. When Lucy opened her eyes, the gypsies were all watching the pair with open-mouthed wonder. She smiled at them and reached a golden hand towards the little gypsy girl from earlier.

"You're glowing," she awed, wrapping her small fingers around Lucy's.

"It's not just me," Lucy explained. She guided the little girl's hand to her chest and placed it upon the pulsing skin of her heart. It thundered beneath the child's hand strongly. "Do you feel that?" she asked the girl.

"It's your heartbeat, but it's different to mine," the little girl put a hand to her own heart, comparing the two.

Loke smiled and lifted the child into his arms. "Do you see all those stars out there?"

The girl nodded. "They're the same as the star lady's."

"If you look closely," Loke gently took the girl's hand and traced it over the distant stars, "they all make different shapes. You see?"

The girl looked at Lucy with wide and excited eyes. "They're the same shapes as the ones on your keys!"

"Yes, that's right," Lucy said with a fond smile. "All those stars are my friends, like Loke. When we are like this," Lucy spread her arms and gestured at the wondrous views around them—the constellations, the galaxies, the golden light, "their hearts beat with mine as one."

The child smiled brightly and rested her hand upon Lucy's chest again. "I can feel them!"

"And they can feel you, too," Lucy said.

The child's eyes widened and a breathtaking grin broke out upon her face. "Can I meet all your friends?"

"Maybe tomorrow," Loke answered instead. Lucy nodded along and watched her skin fade back to its usual pallor. The constellations above them faded away slowly, the starlight dimming. Loke's form began to waver and he smiled sheepishly. "I have a date," he said by way of explanation.

"Say 'hi' to Aries for me," Lucy said with a wink. One by one, the golden lights surrounding them dissipated back into the atmosphere as Loke already had. Once the sky was back to normal, Lucy turned and smiled brightly at the gypsies. They returned her gesture in kind and grasped at her hands.

"It's been a long time since a star maiden has walked upon these sands," one of the village elders explained with a warm smile. He touched a hand upon Lucy's heart, kind eyes gazing upon her. "And it has been decades since a star maiden with a heart as pure as yours has come."

Lucy smiled at the elder, grateful when the hands touching her own left. Only the elder and the gypsy child remained. "You can stay with us tonight!" the girl cried.

"Oh, no it's okay," Lucy said in reply, "I'll be fine in an inn."

"Then come to our inn!" the child pressed, and Lucy relented with a little sigh.

"Soraya! Let's go! The star lady is coming, too!"

Lucy's brows furrowed, examining the two gypsies closely. Soraya had an arm wrapped around the elder and one of the little girl's hands wrapped around her own. The two girls both had rich eyes of the same hue and similar hair styles. "You two are sisters, right?" Lucy concluded.

Soraya nodded. "Yes," she said with a smile. "And this is our great grandfather, Melik."

Lucy bowed her head respectively towards the old man, who chuckled and patted her arm with a warm and rough hand. "Raise your head, child. I'm not that old," he chided.

"You are," Soraya pointed out and helped her elder through the inn door.

The inn wasn't that much different to Soraya's home. The carpets were of the same exotic patterns echoed on Soraya's hand, and the walls painted a darker blue than the bright blue of the walls in Soraya's home. The entire ground floor was divided by rough stone walls with rounded arches serving as the entrances to each individual space. Lucy followed Soraya into the common area, eyes taking in the mismatched furniture and strung-up artwork. A warm fire blazed in the copper hearth, bathing the room in a warm golden glow.

An archway beside the hearth lead of a set of rickety stairs, and Lucy and Soraya helped Melik navigate the steep steps towards what Lucy could only assume to be the bedrooms. The hallway was long and the bedrooms considerably large, if the size of Melik's bedroom was anything to go by.

"Goodnight, 'Pa," Soraya said and pressed a warm kiss to the elder's forehead. Her little sister did the same and Lucy bid the man farewell before following Soraya back into the hall.

"Thank you for this," Lucy said once the door was shut.

"Oh, this is nothing," the gypsy woman reassured. "We get travellers all the time."

"But none of them are ever as fun as you!" the little girl said, wrapping her arms around Lucy's waist and burying her face into her stomach.

"I hope you don't mind, but you might have to share a room with my sister. All the others are booked until tomorrow by some merchants," Soraya explained with a sorry expression, "I would offer my own but I already share."

"No, it's okay! I don't mind at all!"

"Excellent! I've already had your bags moved to the room you will be staying in, so you should be all set," Soraya waved a hand and bid both girls goodnight before slipping into her own room.

"What's your name?" the girl asked Lucy as the two walked down the hall towards their room.

"Lucy," she answered. "And yours?"

"My name is Sofia!"

"Well, Sofia, thank you for letting me stay in your room with you," Lucy told the girl, opening the door Sofia stopped in front of.

The room was large and contained two twin beds, a curtained archway leading to the small en suit. Lucy immediately grabbed her belongings and slipped into the bathroom to wash up before bed. She decided to skip her usual night-time soak in the bath and drew the water for a shallow wash. Lucy scrubbed at her skin as quickly as she could. Once done, she slipped into a night dress and re-joined Sofia in the bedroom. The girl had already changed out of her dress into a pair of warm pyjamas and had laid a cheeseboard on Lucy's bed.

"The kitchens are closed this late, but Soraya brought some supper in case you wanted to eat before sleeping," Sofia explained.

Lucy smiled and bit into the warm bread, slicing a section of the fruit cheese away from the block. She offered it onto a bread roll at Sofia, and the girl took the snack after a lot of repeated convincing from Lucy. As the clock downstairs struck twelve, the two girls settled in to sleep.

A nagging feeling gnawed at Lucy's chest until she stood and walked to Sofia's bed. She drew the covers up until they covered the girl entirely—the little girl that had somehow managed to crawl inside Lucy's heart and nestle amongst all her precious friends in the short time they had known each other. She had a feeling her and the girl shared something in common, and was determined to put the pieces together and see just what that was.

"Goodnight, Lucy," the girl whispered, wide and innocent eyes sparkling in the darkness.

Lucy smiled and brushed the girl's hair away from her forehead. "Goodnight, Sofia."

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

The following morning, Lucy was whisked downstairs by an excited Sofia, who was adamant that they not miss breakfast. Soraya was working at the woodfire oven, her decorative skirt and top from the night before replaced with a simple long dress stained a vibrant green. The henna on her shoulders stood out brightly in the morning sun, and Lucy traced the markings with her eyes. Sofia, having noticed this, took Lucy's hand and sat her at the dining table.

"I'll be back!" the girl cried as she ran from the kitchen.

"She has taken quite a liking to you," Soraya mused, who had watched the interaction between the two with warm eyes.

"Is that not normal for her?" Lucy inquired, smoothing the silk of her dress.

Soraya hummed, watching the town outside the window with faraway eyes. "Not usually," she admitted, "after our parents died, she closed up. For quite a long time it was just us two."

Lucy nodded along, all too aware of the gaping hole losing both parents left on one's heart. When Layla passed away, Lucy had closed up too. She refused to eat, to socialise and to leave her room. Mrs Suppeto had to forcefully drag her away from her bed just to bathe. For a long time, she became lost. But slowly, the pain ebbed away and she became accustomed to the loss.

"You know loss well," Soraya's smooth voice brought Lucy from the dense clouds of her past. "I can see it in your eyes."

Lucy nodded. "Both of my parents are gone, too. My mother died when I was around Sofia's age, my father only recently."

"Sofia has always been very perceptive. I believe that she can sense that same loss in you, and because of that she has latched on to you."

"Are you two close?" Lucy asked, because the way Soraya spoke gave her inclination to believe that the two sisters weren't.

Soraya blew out a sigh. "We are as close as sisters can be. After our parents died, I became her mother and father while also juggling my responsibilities as a sister. Just as things were beginning to settle, I found the love of my life and married. I believe Sofia is quite resentful towards me because of that."

"You're married?" Lucy asked, eyes wide in surprise. The woman looked to be only barely older than Lucy's nineteen years.

Soraya's entire face brightened and she began to twist the decorative ring on her finger. Lucy's previously unseeing eyes narrowed in on the bright gemstone adorning the gypsy woman's ring finger. "It was more or less love at first sight. I was eighteen at the time and travelling into the city to raise some money. We used to take a caravan down and dance in the traditional style at parks, which is where I met him."

Lucy nodded, calculating the years in her head slowly. The woman was surely much older than Lucy originally thought. "What happened next?" she asked, taken by the captivating story.

"He walked up to me after the show and asked for a dance and dinner. Of course, me being young, agreed immediately. We married some years later and now we have our first child on the way."

Lucy gasped, eyes taking in the woman's relatively flat stomach. "How far along are you?"

Soraya smiled wistfully. "Two months. We only found out a few weeks ago."

"So how do you know Loke?" Lucy asked when the gypsy woman's gaze returned to her.

"That trickster?" Soraya laughed. "He came to the village a few weeks after his previous master died seeking guidance from Melik. Kahlia is known for its past dealings with Celestial Spirit mages."

Lucy took in the information, sifting through it and storing it away for later pondering. Just as she was about to offer her assistance in the kitchen, Sofia ran back into the kitchen covered in what appeared to be soil. "Here!" she said brightly, shoving a pungent paste under Lucy's nose.

"What is that?" Lucy recoiled, nose stinging.

Sofia pointed at Soraya's shoulders and arms. "It's henna paste! I saw you looking at Soraya's and I thought that you might like some on yourself."

Lucy's eyes brightened in understanding. "Really? You can do it for me?"

"Sofia did my own henna," Soraya clarified. "Why don't you give it a try?"

"Sure!" Lucy said brightly, turning to face Sofia. "How do you want me to sit?"

"Just like that," Sofia said, scooping the paste in to a paper bag. She twisted it into a knot, much like a piping bag, and cut the tip off. "Do you just want it on your hands?"

Lucy examined Sofia's own henna-stained hands and grinned. "Do however much as you like."

"Really?" Sofia gasped.

Soraya chuckled from the counter, where she stood chopping vegetables. "You shouldn't have given her that much freedom."

"Oh, be quiet, Soraya," Sofia whined. "Lucy will look really pretty when I'm finished."

Soraya rolled her eyes and continued with what she was doing, and Lucy watched in wonder as Sofia began applying the paste in carefully drawn lines and swirls to the backs of Lucy's hand. The paste felt cool on her skin and left with it dark lines and a slight tingling sensation. Sofia moved to Lucy's other hand and then brought the swirling lines and dots up past both arms and across her shoulders. Lucy's back ached from sitting for so long, but she forced the discomfort away as Sofia was deep in concentration.

They were forced to take a break when Soraya placed breakfast on the table in front of them—a spicy smelling curry and boiled rice mixed with dried fruits and herbs. Lucy took in a mouthful and moaned in delight; the curry was rich and the rice a perfect blend of sweet with the added fruits.

"Thank you for the food," she thanked Soraya when she had finished eating, and moved to collect the plates when Sofia slapped lightly at her hands.

"You have to let the henna dry fully before getting it wet," she scolded, though the expression was lost on her bright and innocent face.

Lucy nodded and sat back down, indulging herself with a small glass of fragrant tea. Footsteps walking down the stairs echoed in the silence, and Soraya rushed to aid the person. When she returned, she had Melik leaning heavily on her arm though the man still sported a wrinkled smile.

"Good morning," he humbly greeted.

"Good morning," Lucy echoed and bowed her head.

"Did you enjoy your rest?"

Lucy smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Very much. Thank you for lending me a room."

Melik nodded and poured himself a glass of tea with shaking hands. Soraya looked on watchfully as she scrubbed the dishes, and Sofia clambered into her great grandfather's lap. "What are we doing today, Pa?"

The atmosphere grew tense suddenly as Melik's smile twisted in to a grimace. "Girls," he spoke lowly, gesturing to his granddaughters, "I need a moment alone with our guest. Go outside and help with the shipments."

The sisters seemed to know what his weighty gaze entailed and left the small kitchen quickly, barely pausing to spare Lucy a small smile. The wooden door shut with a small thus that seemed to resound in Lucy's heart like a death sentence. She clambered under Melik's unwavering stare, hands worrying the hem of her skirt.

Finally, he hummed a soft grunt of approval. "I see Sofia has given you the full Kahlia welcome."

Lucy's shoulders relaxed and she followed his eyes to the elaborate designs drying on her skin. "It's beautiful," Lucy said truthfully and looked up from her lap briefly to smile timidly. Whether it be his age or seeing-all eyes, there was something about the man that had Lucy feeling like she were a child being scorned.

Melik seemed to notice this fact, so he went straight for the preverbal jugular: "You are not here for a casual visit."

Lucy startled and snapped her gaze to meet his, cheeks already tainted a dusty rose. "Not entirely…"

"You are searching for something."

She could only nod to his conclusion.

Melik sighed heavily and filled her small glass with another helping of the sweet tea. "Last night, I spoke briefly of this town's history regarding celestial maidens such as yourself. Do you remember what it is that I said?"

Lucy perked up at the turn of conversation, glad beyond relief that her memory served her well. "You said that it had been decades since a Celestial Spirit magic user had passed through."

"That is right," Melik paused before finishing his sentence, "that woman was your mother, Layla."

The new information shocked Lucy—after all, her mother's passing was a wound that still ached, but she pushed the nostalgia down. She didn't know much of her mother's life before she was married, and by the way Melik was wistfully gazing out the window Lucy could only venture a guess that he held all the answers to her newfound questions. She settled on slowly painting the picture of her mother's past. "How old was she at the time?"

Melik smiled and turned his gaze back to Lucy. "She was no older than you, I believe. We celebrated her twentieth birthday two weeks after she wandered into our little town. Back then we were hardly a trade town and more of an outpost for the soldiers during the wartime. Layla came to us with the intention of learning about the lost art of us gypsies—ancient astronomy."

Lucy smiled as she reminisced, briefly recalling lessons with her mother in which the woman would pull a golden globe inscribed with a language she called _Persian_ from the very top shelf in their library. "My mother used to show me an old celestial globe she said she was gifted to her by an old friend," Lucy recalled aloud.

The old man chuckled and nodded. "That does sound like something Layla would say. We taught her everything we could and answered as much of her questions as possible, which were seemingly endless. Your mother was certainly a woman who yearned for knowledge, that much is true," Melik paused once again before delving deeper into his words from earlier. "That which you seek can be found here, Lucy. You came to the right place."

Lucy furrowed her brows. She herself wasn't sure of what she sought, only that there was something she knew she had to find, or learn. To be faced with that prospect so early into her trip certainly excited and terrified her. "What is it?" she almost whispered.

The muted rattling of a key caught her attention, and she looked on with interest as Melik procured a pouch from his pocket. "This," he said, "is something your mother entrusted me to give to her next of kin."

She reached across the table for the pouch at Melik's urging. Lucy was certain that the myserious package was indeed a key—she could feel the magical energy softly emanating from the cool metal. When she shook the key on to her palm, Lucy was rightfully taken aback. Sitting in her pale palm was a black gate key, much like Yukino's own Ophiuchus. The symbol beautifully carved from the metal of the key's handle really took her breath away, for the key Lucy held belonged to Vulpecular, the Heavenly Fox.

Melik confirmed her deduction with a knowing smile. "Lucy, meet Vulpecular. She was the last spirit your mother ever formed a contract with and will hopefully be one of the many spirits _you_ have yet to form contracts with."

A light warmth seeped into Lucy's stained palm from the key and she smiled, welcoming the soft warmth. Her family had grown by one more, and she couldn't be happier.

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

Vulpecular exceeded all of Lucy's expectations.

Stunningly white and regal, the small fox's presence enraptured her attention completely. The fox did not make verbal communication, which was a surprise to Lucy. She had become so used to the quirks of her Zodiac that to have a spirit in her arsenal that seemed older than time itself, with a presence to boot, shocked her. Vulpecular was a seer by nature and spoke directly to her heart, as the fox had explained carefully to Lucy in a surprisingly soft voice.

She was just like Lucy's mother.

Even the fox's scent seemed strangely familiar and alien, and made Lucy's skin crawl and quiver. Vulpecular, ever the observant, calmly explained that Layla had shared a deep bond with her which was passed to Lucy upon Layla's passing. The fox had revealed that Lucy's innermost desire was for a mother—a fact that Lucy had been only slightly aware of. As a spirit more in tune with her master's inner workings than the others due to her psychic abilities, Vulpecular had simply conformed into a shape that would best suite Lucy. To have her heart's desires laid out in front of her left her feeling drained, and the meeting between master and spirit was quickly cut short.

That night, in her own room in the inn, Lucy fought viciously against her nightmares. Each separate dream was a memory twisted by time and premise—Natsu walking away from her at Hargeon rather than grabbing her hand and rushing them both away, her father dying in her arms instead of months just before her long-awaited return from Tenroujima. Although the atmosphere of Karliah relaxed her, the dunes resembled tidal waves threatening to take her away in the cold night. She had the key, she had found temporal happiness—why was she sticking around?

Upon waking for the fifth time that night, Lucy decided she would leave the next day after thanking Soraya and her family. The following morning when she summoned Vulpecular to apologise for her previous dismissal, Lucy was shocked to find that the fox had traded her mother of pearl fur for pink.

Lucy's breath hitched as she stared into Vulpecular's silver and seemingly endless gaze. "What is the meaning of this?"

The fox's soft voice echoed within her chest, ' _You've been dreaming of a boy with pink hair for quite a while. He comforts you in your dreams, and I thought it would be best if I were to do the same_.'

"No," Lucy said immediately, shaking her head in a desperate attempt to keep the traitorous tears at bay, "he needs to _stay_ in my dreams, Vulpecular. I appreciate all you're doing but this is too much. Please change back."

 _'_ _Very well_.'

Vulpecular's rosy fur faded back to snow-white, and Lucy relaxed immediately. "Thank you," she whispered to the spirit, placing a hand atop the fox's warm head. Vulpecular nuzzled into her palm, the breaths fanning across her skin reassuring Lucy that everything was okay and back to normal.

 _'_ _As a seer_ ,' Vulpecular said suddenly, and Lucy focused intently so she could hear the fox's words clearly, _'I am able to faintly see into the future. Visions will only ever come rarely, but I did see yours briefly.'_

"What was it that you saw?"

 _'_ _You were smiling, with that boy your heart is so troubled over. That is all I'll say on that; I can already sense your emotions spiralling downwards.'_

Lucy remained silent at Vulpecular's confession, burying her face into the fox's soft flank. The words stirred so many different reactions in her chest—she missed Natsu _so much_ , but she didn't want to get too ahead of herself. Just how reliable were Vulpecular's visions? Were they temperamental like Charle's or solid truth? Could she really get her hopes up? Was he really within her reach?

She fell asleep alongside Vulpecular, wiping at the tears that she refused to let free from her eyes. There was no use in speculating—all she could do was live happily until her life fell back into its usual pace. She still had no idea where her partners were, so they would remain in her thoughts that way. The only thing she could do was wish them luck and hope they return to her side as soon as they could.

She needed them more than she cared to admit, after all.

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

 ** _._**

Vulpecular was still in corporal form when Lucy awoke from her small nap, and she sent the fox back with a parting smile and press of lips to the fox's fur. Once the spirit had returned, Lucy worked on packing away all of her luggage and changing into a pair of thin tights and a tank top. She left her traditional wear on the bed and made her way to the kitchen, where Melik had gathered his small family. The man seemed to have known of Lucy's decision before she even knew herself.

Sofia was sad to see her star lady go, but she understood why Lucy had to leave. The little girl didn't cry but made Lucy promise she would return and show her all her spirits, to which the Celestial Spirit Mage laughed. Lucy ruffled the girl's hair and hugged her softly. "Of course I'll come back," Lucy murmured into Sofia's ear.

"Promise?"

Lucy met the girl's watery gaze and grinned widely. "I promise, and Celestial Spirit wizards never break their promises."

Soraya wrapped Lucy in a warm embrace and bid her safe travels and, with a smirk, told her to keep an eye on Loke. Lucy laughed and promised she would before moving on to say goodbye to Melik. It was much harder bidding him farewell, but Lucy wrapped him in a warm embrace and thanked him profusely for his help.

"Any child of Layla's is a child of mine. You are welcome here at any time," he said, and Lucy fought back tears.

"I'll be back before you know it!"

She left the small trade town with a spring in her step and the assurance that she would never be alone. She had a whole army of spirits and friends guiding her on—surely she should abandon the notion of being left abandoned? The road onward was long and treacherous, but Lucy knew with a heart of steel that she would make it.

Until then, it was on to the next train station platform and the adventure that awaited just beyond the horizon.

* * *

Hello and welcome to the second endorsement of **_TP take no.2_** :)

A song suggestion could possibly be Alexi Murdoch **_Through The Dark_** , which I think perfectly fits this chapter.

Don't forget to share your thoughts and stay tuned for another update!


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